Erie police have in custody suspect they believe broke into 50 cars

Erie police later today are expecting to charge an 18-year-old whom they believe broke into between 40 and 50 vehicles throughout the area in a crime spree that began last week.

Investigators said the suspect, who is currently in a holding cell at the Erie Bureau of Police, was living in a city motel with two other men when he committed the break-ins.

Those two men were in police custody this afternoon and could eventually be charged in the case, officials said.

Police this afternoon were still waiting to execute a search warrant on the hotel room. Investigators believed stolen items from the cars, and possibly a handgun, were inside the room.

The names of the thrree men were not being released by police because they had not been charged as of 2 p.m. today.

Police believe the suspect broke into dozens of cars in sections on the city's east side and the Frontier Park neighborhood over the past week.

The suspect smashed the windows on nearly every car he broke into, authorities said.

The suspect was apprehended by officers on today at about 7:30 a.m. He was breaking into a car in the 200 block of East Eighth St. when a neighbor spotted him and called police. The suspect fled officers on a bicycle, then dumped the bicycle and a bag and ran from police before he was caught.

The suspect had a knife and a flashlight on him when he was apprehended by police. He had several wallets and phones on him and inside his bag, officials said.